3 Ways Wheel Loader On-Board Weighing Systems Can Generate Quick ROI

One of the most recent advances we’ve seen in wheel loader technology has been the addition of on-board weighing and payload management systems. While the upgrade cost may not seem worth it to some — especially if you’ve been doing quite well without them for so long — those using the systems are seeing a definite return on investment. With the ability to see real-time payload data accurate to within ±1%, these systems can generate ROI in the following ways.

1. Reduce labor costs With the job done right the first time, these systems drastically reduce the occurrence for inaccurate loads needing to be reloaded and reweighed. In a high-production, commodity-driven environment, this can have an enormous impact on labor costs. Let’s take the following example:

2. Reduce fuel costs In the aforementioned scenario, labor is not the only cost added by inaccurate loads. Between the loader and the truck – avoiding reloading and reweighing also helps reduce fuel costs.

3. Reduce the costs of overloading In addition to the labor and fuel costs associated with reloading and reweighing – an overloaded truck can mean additional unexpected problems, including unnecessary wear and tear on the truck, increased safety risks (such as tipping) and even fines if the truck makes it on the road. While it differs by state and percent overloaded – these fines can often exceed $5,000 per incident. If a payload management system helps avoids even just a few of these incidents per year, you could be saving tens of thousands of dollars.

4. Save on administrative timeSome payload management systems, such as Volvo Load Assist, allow you to access all the data for each job (or truck loaded), via USB or via the cloud. This data can be easily integrated into many ERP systems and the data includes everything from tons of material, type of material and density of material, to name of the job, type of vehicle loaded, customer name and more. This helps reduce the administrative costs of capturing this data manually and also provides an extra layer of protection against liability if something is questioned in the future.

While some may be skeptical about investing in a new technology, when used in the right application, I truly believe systems like Volvo Load Assist can pay for themselves rather quickly. Once they do, everything else is money in the bank.Learn more about Load Assist here.